Effects of the Recognition, Measurement, and Disclosure of Biological Assets Under IAS 41 on Value Creation in Colombian Agribusinesses

This article examines how the recognition, measurement, and disclosure of biological assets (BAs) under IAS 41 affect value creation in Colombian agribusinesses following IFRS adoption. Using EMIS Benchmark data for Colombia, we construct a panel of 157 agro-industrial firms that are neither subsidiaries of multinationals nor listed on the stock exchange; the panel covers 2012–2022, spanning the period before and after IFRS adoption. The database combines accounting and financial indicators with categorical variables capturing the scope of activities, valuation methods (historical cost, realisable value, present value, fair value), and disclosure policies for BAs. Value creation is proxied by EBITDA, return on equity (ROE), and return on assets (ROA). We estimate fixed-effects panel models for three IFRS groups. Results show that, in Group 1, defining the accounting scope and using fair value and present value as measurement bases are associated with higher firm value, while Groups 2 and 3 display positive but statistically weaker effects. Explicit disclosure is also associated with higher profitability, particularly for SMEs. These findings are consistent with agency and firm theories: when entrepreneurial activities are recognised, measured, and disclosed consistently and transparently, information asymmetry and agency costs fall, and accounting policies become a driver of organisational performance in agribusinesses in emerging markets. The results also support the assumptions of institutional theory, as external regulatory pressures from IFRS and internal pressures arising from relationships among firms in the agro-industrial sector shape and reinforce information disclosure practices.